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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27181901">They Were Roommates</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c'>sanctum_c</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tifa Week 2018 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Meetings, Gen, Midgar (Compilation of FFVII), Missing Scene, Moving On, Not Before Crisis (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Crisis Core (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Dirge of Cerberus (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Final Fantasy VII Remake Compliant, POV Tifa Lockhart, Past Lives, Pre-Canon, Pre-Final Fantasy VII, Reminiscing, Roommates, Stargazing, Surprises, Tifa Week (Compilation of FFVII), moving to the big city</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2018-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2018-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:03:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,875</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27181901</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Accommodation was the easier to procure; people within Midgar compromised frequently, subdividing living spaces intended for lower number of occupants to squeeze as many as possible into cramped apartments. The odd family somehow clinging to older money could afford to keep an actual house in the slums, but most long ago gave up any notion of aspiration. Tifa responded to an advert in one of the local stores, anxious to get out of the inn she was holed up in. The advert lead her to Jessie.</i>
</p><hr/><p>Tifa applies for somewhere to live shortly after coming to in Midgar.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tifa Lockhart &amp; Jessie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tifa Week 2018 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984117</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the prompt 'Tifa + Avalanche'</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The plate served as a reminder of how much under Shinra’s thumb the people of the slums were. Even someone as successful as Don Corneo (through reportedly obtained via varying levels of unpleasantness) could never ignore the metal ceiling above; Shinra’s implicit statement: everyone down here was beneath them – and they were not prepared to help in the slightest. Getting out of the city was complicated at the best of times; the last time Tifa saw the night sky it was marred by fire and death. Not a memory she wanted to dwell on. To see the sky again she either needed to somehow get out of the city – or move above plate. Oh she could visit for a time, but never for long. It was expensive up there.</p><p>She survived for a time in the slums on the dwindling funds her mysterious rescuer left for her. Remarkable at times how much she held – but she still could never be sure the doctors who patched her up had not subtracted from the amount before she woke. Woke up alone in this city, so far from home – or at least the remains of it.</p><p>Continued existence forced finding somewhere to stay and somewhere to work. Easier to shelter from the elements without a permanent home in Midgar, but the city could easily become bitterly cold in the winter months and stifling in the summer. As absurd as it might seem with the floating plate above, she needed a roof over her head. And for that – and certain frivolous requirements like food and soap – she needed a job.</p><p>Accommodation was the easier to procure; people within Midgar compromised frequently, subdividing living spaces intended for lower number of occupants to squeeze as many as possible into cramped apartments. The odd family somehow clinging to older money could afford to keep an actual house in the slums, but most long ago gave up any notion of aspiration. Tifa responded to an advert in one of the local stores, anxious to get out of the inn she was holed up in.</p><p>That lead her to Jessie. “So, what did you do before?” They were standing in Jessie’s apartment; a cramped space intended for one – now divided by a curtain strung down the middle. Shared kitchen, bathroom, too thin walls, but otherwise more than enough for Tifa.</p><p>“Before?” Tifa crossed to the grimy window. The ever illuminated, ever noisy Sector Seven spread out below her.</p><p>“Yeah. Before you got to the city?” Jessie fidgeted. “Sorry. I mean, you don’t have to answer that. Just making conversation.”</p><p>Tifa shook her head. “I don’t mind.” She pushed the curtain back. What would be her half of the room contained a single bunk, a battered chest of drawers and a chunk of faded carpet different to the rest. “I was a guide.”</p><p>“Guide?”</p><p>“Mountain trails on-“ The news oddly silent on the events of Nibelheim. There was a suspicious absence of editorials on the actions of one, specific SOLDIER in a mountain town. Perhaps best not to blurt her connection. Her memories were too vivid to be wrong – no matter the official story. Jessie seemed nice enough, but there was a lot of muttering about Shinra having spies in among the populace at large. Tifa waved her hand, struggling for the words. “-on various peaks and that kind of thing.”</p><p>“Cool.” Jessie grinned. “Though guess you can’t do that here.”</p><p>“Yeah. Would need to learn my way around the city first – and I can’t believe anyone’d pay me to show them.” There was a certain charm to the idea. While less about optimum terrain and avoiding treacherous paths, the city’s monster problem was well known. A guide could do some good here, but would anyone want to take advantage of such a service and not struggle through on their own?</p><p>Jessie let out a sigh. “Not likely. But you are going to get a job. Right?” She raised her eyebrows. “Sorry. I’m not trying to press you or anything. But if you take the room, then I just want to be sure you’re going to be able to pay rent. You’re the nicest person who’s applied for this place in forever. Most of the rest are pretty much casing the joint when they get here. Or figuring out if they can set up a loco weed farm in here.”</p><p>“Not doing either of those. And I am getting a job. And this room.” Tifa grinned. “I suppose…" The ceiling was a mishmash of mottled washed out patches of mould and missing patches of paintwork. “I can cook pretty well. I could look for an opening in a restaurant.”</p><p>“Hey, that would work.” Jessie nodded. “There’s a few places in the Sector you can try.” Her eyes widened. “Hey, you know anything about drinks?”</p><p>“Drinks?”</p><p>“Yeah. You know, alcoholic drinks, cocktails and such.” Jessie was growing more animated. “There’s not many bars in this sector – and none of them serve food. They’re mostly just dive bars. We could start our own.”</p><p>“Yeah… That would work,” Tifa nodded. She chuckled. “Getting ahead of things aren’t we?”</p><p>“Maybe. But- I’ve been looking for a career change anyway.” She leaned closer. “I hate my job,” Jessie stage-whispered. “Sorry-“ She winced. “We’ve literally only just met, and now I’m trying to convince you to go into business with me.” She shook her head. “Forget I said anything.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Tifa said. “I think it could work.” Another glance around the room; maybe she could check some other listings, see if anywhere was better for her budget. But ever since awakening in the city, no one she encountered was up-beat like Jessie. “When can I move in?”</p><p>Jessie grinned. “Whenever you want.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Starlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written for the prompt 'Tifa + Stars'</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What was it like? As a guide?” Tifa blinked and looked up from her magazine; Jessie was fussing with some electronics project on her bed. Her reticence to discuss many aspects of her past seemed to have made it more or less clear to Jessie the limits of conversation on that subject. She glanced up. “If you don’t mind me asking.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Well, did you enjoy it, what kind of things did you do…” Jessie shrugged. “Never been hiking like that. I guess you go and look at the scenery and stuff, but…” She glanced at Tifa expectantly.</p><p>“Well. There is some of looking at the scenery.” On Mount Nibel the scenery was generally of the mind to kill any foolhardy traveller who walked its paths. “A lot is knowing what trails to take.” Some trails were old and now unused as erosion ground down the mountain over centuries. A few were usable - if hazardous - in certain circumstances. The main trails were more or less completely safe – as safe as the mountain ever got. There had long been discussions over implementing some kind of safe-guards over the gorges and at cliff edges.</p><p>Those had always ended in failure; some in the town remained incensed at the presence of the rope bridge and the Mako reactor tarnishing the mountain’s image. This was an odd claim given images of other mountains around the world few - if any - that matched the twisted, warped peaks of Mount Nibel and the gloom that seemed to pervade it. But those voices in town meetings always won out; few people ventured onto Mount Nibel anymore. The mines were gone, travel to Rocket Town through the pass was rare. And the only people with business going up to the ancient Mako reactor were Shinra whom everyone was pretty sure could take care of it regardless. Besides, one of the numerous elderly men making up the town council said, they had Tifa as a guide should anyone need to make a trip.</p><p>Somehow the speaker had forgotten or did not care about the time she tumbled down into a gorge. The time she did not wake for a week and with only hazy memories of venturing up the mountain. Tifa had never opposed making the mountain safer, and the aesthetic argument was odd given how hard it was to spot the rope-bridge or the reactor from the town proper. But the town overruled her and the paths remained as they were.</p><p>“One of those stray from the path and you’re basically dead kind of thing?” Jessie sat up. “Falls or monsters?”</p><p>“Both.”</p><p>Monsters were obstacles and threats that changed with the seasons. Summer was the worst time as the dragons emerged from hibernation to bask in the feeble sunlight. They needed almost no provocation to attack anyone passing; Zangan’s teachings soon came in handy. But excepting the summer months, there were many monsters skulking on the mountainside and holed up in crevices. They rarely made their way down past the rope-bridge; the effective border between town and mountain; usually safe. At least that was how it was at first. For each year Tifa worked as a guide, the monsters made their way closer and closer to the town. How bad would it have gotten if- “Gotta be a decent fighter to be a guide it turns out. Glad I got some training.”</p><p>Jessie grinned. “Sounds a demanding job.”</p><p>“Very.” Despite the insistence from the council that few people wanted to make the trip to Rocket Town, that was what occupied most of Tifa’s time – apart from maintenance and checking of the trails. The maintenance check of the Mako reactor was- “But it had some perks.” Jessie wore a questioning expression. “If you were up there at night-” And it wasn’t Spring when the air would be thick with Zuus. “-the stars looked amazing.” The universe spread out across the horizon, the localised glow from the reactor and Nibelheim itself doing little to hide the starlight.</p><p>“Only ever seen the stars in books and TV.” Jessie stared up at the ceiling. “I can’t even imagine what that would have been like.”</p><p>“Beautiful.” Tifa smiled. “I’d like to see them again. Some day.”</p>
<hr/><p>Two days later and Jessie was grinning a lot. “What is it?”</p><p>Jessie tried to hide her smile with her hand. “You’ll see,” was the same cryptic answer Tifa got every time. That grin of her roommate’s only seemed to get bigger as the evening drew on and it was time for bed; Jessie oddly eager to turn in. They were definitely friends at this point, but there was a gulf of knowledge between the two of them still. Maybe Jessie would make sense at some point in the future. She was watching Tifa for some reason as she got under the covers. Strange.</p><p>Tifa clicked off the light. Something glowed above her. She rolled onto her back and gasped. A sea of faintly green stars littered the ceiling in familiar whorls and swirls of constellations. “Jessie?”</p><p>“You got me thinking the other night.” The other girl was grinning in the pale, dim light. “You missed the stars, I’ve never seen them. Did what I could.” She shrugged. “They’re just cheap stick-on things, but-“</p><p>Tifa shook her head. “No. No, they’re amazing. Thank you.”</p><p>“Thank you for making it sound so amazing.” Jessie stared up. Tifa did the same. Not the same as before. But warmer – and more than good enough for now.</p>
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